Game board with intersecting channels



April 28 1964 H. scHwARzLANpER. 3,130,972

GAME BOARD WITH INTERsx-:CTING CHANNELS Filed Aug. 23. 1960 INVENTOR. HARRY SCHWARZLA N DER ATTORNEY 3,130,972 GARE B WITH INTERSECTING CHANNELS Harry Schwarzlander, 452 Highland Ave., Malden 48, Mass. Filed Aug. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 51,385 Claims. (Cl. 273-1131) This invention relates to a game and more particularly to a game of the type providing for up to four participating positions with a playing board structure having a playing face carrying movable playing components for each of the participating positions and with provision for directionally restricting movement of the components to that permissible in the game.

A primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved game combining both amusement and skill in its operation.

A further object is the provision of an improved game which is sufficiently uncomplicated in its mode of operation for even children to enjoy.

And another object is the provision of an improved game which has the versatility of providing a challenge to those requiring the highest order of skill, as well as being attractive to those seeking the relaxation inherent in games relying on chance alone.

Another object is the provision of an improved game structure wherein movement of components is restricted to only directions permissible in the game itself, thereby minimizing the possibility of errors due to mistake or cheating.

A still further object is the provision of an improved game structure which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and simple and convenient to use.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:

FIG. l is an isometric view of one embodiment of a game board with playing components thereon constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a playing component suitable for use in the FIG. l embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the playing component shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a second embodiment of a game board with a playing component thereon constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention;

FlG. 5 is a top view of a component suitable for use in the FIG. 4 embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the component shown in FlG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating a third embodiment of a game board with a playing component thereon constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top view of a playing component suitable for use in the FIG. 7 embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the component shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 1 in more detail, apparatus for the present game invention is designated generally by the numeral 16. The apparatus 1t) includes a game board 12 of wood, molded plastic or other suitable material and having a playing face 14 with four sides 16, 1S, 20 and 22 respectively of substantially equal length and with each of the sides providing one of the four possible participating positions as will be hereinafter more fully described. Each of the participating position sides 16, 18, 2G and 22 is preferably visibly marked with a distinctive marking distinguishing it from the other respective States Patent ice participating positions. In the present instance a distinctive color scheme is used with the participating position 16 being yellow, the participating position 18 being silver, the participating position 20 being orange and the participating position 22 being blue.

The playing face 14 is provided with two sets 24 and 26 of guide slots or grooves substantially at right angles to each other. The slots or grooves 24 are substantially parallel and at their respective ends open out at the participating position sides 16 and 20, while the set of slots 26, similarly parallel, open out at the participating position sides 13 and 22.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. l, the slots of both sets 24 and 26 are of the inverted T type arranged for guiding and slidably receiving an inverted T-shaped projection 28 depending substantially centrally from disk type hand engageable playing members 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 4t) respectively, all of which are of similar construction except in that each carries a distinctive marking designating the particular participating position to which it belongs. In the present instance the disk type playing component 32 carries a distinctive yellow color similar to that in the participating position 16, the component 34 carries a silver color marking similar to its participating position 18, the disk type playing component 36 carries a distinctive orange marking similar to the orange marking on the participating position 2t) and the disk type playing components 33 and 4G carry distinctive blue markings similar to the blue markings for the participat` ing position 22.

All of the disk type playing components are preferably of circular construction having a diameter sufliciently small to avoid interference of adjoining components when moved along adjacent parallel slots or grooves 24 or 26. They should also be suiciently large in diameter to center upon succeeding intersections of the slots 24 and 26 when placed in a single row in the slots 24 or 26 for purposes to be hereinafter described.

The T slot and projection 2S construction constrains the components such as 30 to the paths 24 and 26, thereby making it impossible to remove the components except through one of the participating position sides 16, 18, 2) or 22. This is a desirable feature in preventing mixup of components and mistakes creeping into the game as will become evident as the description progresses.

In the operation of the present invention, participants are assigned to participating position sides 16, 18, 2@ and 22 and are issued a number of disk type playing components 30, each carrying the distinctive marking of his respective participating position. The number of disk type components for each participating position is the same for each player and is preferably four to eight in number. Each participating position, during the game, has a turn for starting his playing components 30, one at each turn, along one of the slots in the sets 24 or 26 marked with his particular participating position color.

The object is for a player representing his participating position such as the side 16 with his playing components such as the component 32 to reach the side 2d ejecting his playing piece or component 32 before any of the other players reach the position opposite to their respective participating position with any of their respective playing components. Players on the respective sides take one turn each in successive relation to each other. A turn consists of inserting a new playing piece or moving an existing playing piece, such as the component 32 for participating position 16, from one intersection of the grooves 24 and 26 to another intersection. For example, the component 32 may be moved forward in the direction of components 34 and 36 or sideways in the direction of component 3S. In either case, the person at participating position 16 would cause the component 36 or the component to be pushed to a total of one intersection in a retrogressive direction to participating positions 2t) and 22 respectively. In the case of participating position 20, the component 35 would fall from the game board 12 to be started anew by the player at participating position 20 at a subsequent turn.

If the component 32 were elected tobe moved laterally, the component 38 would be moved retrogressively back toward the participating position 22 by one intersection.

Thus, it is seen that a great deal of skill may be used to achieve proper maneuvering to cause delays to opposing participants and to speed ones own playing pieces through to the opposite goal. On the other hand, the game may also be enjoyed by depending upon mere chance without closely studying the moves, if desired.

The game stops the moment one of the players succeeds in getting one of his allotted pieces across to the opposite side. At such stoppage, a count is taken by all players of the number of pieces each has remaining on the board 12 which may be given a value of one point each. The component succeeding in reaching the opposite side may be given a value of two points. The participant with the highest score when the game closes is the winner.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 4 and has a game board 37 similar to that of the game board 12 except in that inverted V type slots or grooves 39 and disk type playing pieces or components with inverted V type projections 41 depending therefrom and slidably tting in guided relation to the slots 39 are used.

A third embodiment of more economical manufacturing construction is shown in FIG. 7 wherein slots 40 of simple rectangular cross sectional construction are used in a game board 42 which may otherwise be similar to the game board 12. Also, simple circular projections 44 appear in depending relation to disk type playing pieces 46 for slidably fitting in grooves 411. In such instance the slots 4t) provide the lateral guiding support needed to prevent misalignment of components when pushed one against the other as described above. However, the components 46 may be easily removed by lifting vertically above the playing face 48 of the game board 42, whereas such vertical removal is prevented in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. While the embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 4 provide a greater safeguard for proper operation of the present game, in the interests of econl omy, the FIG. 7 embodiment may in some cases be found suitable.

This invention is not limited to the particular details of construction and operation as equivalents will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a game for four participating positions, the combination of a game board having a playing face and four sides of substantially equal length with each of the sides providing one of the participating positions, only two sets of grooves in the playing face with one set intersecting the other set at substantially right angles, the grooves in the respective sets being parallel and equidistant from each other and each set at its respective ends opening on two of the participating positions, a plurality of playing components, each with a hand engageable member having a projection substantially centrally thereof and of a shape to slidably tit in guided relation to the grooves, the hand engageable member of the plaY ing components being ot a cross sectional size which is only slightly smaller than the distance from the center of one groove to the center of an adjacent groove, thereby being suiiciently small to permit passage along respective adjacent grooves without obstruction of one with the other and suiciently large to center substantially on the intersections when aligned in contact relation to each other by pushing one against the other in a single groove.l

2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein each of the participating positions is distinctively marked to distinguish it from the other participating positions and the playing components are in the form of disks similarly marked to provide four sets of playing components, each set identified for use at its respective participating position.

3. The combination as in claim 1 wherein each of the grooves has a cross sectional shape of an inverted T and the projections on the playing components have a similar inverted T shape for constrained slidable movement in the grooves.

4. The combination as in claim 1 wherein each of the grooves has a cross sectional shape of an inverted V and the projections on the playing components have a similar inverted V shape for constrained slidable movement in the grooves.

5. The combination as in claim 1 wherein each of the grooves has a cross sectional shape of a rectangle and the projections on the playing components have cylindrical shapes for constrained sliding movement in the grooves.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 729,522 Anderson June 2, 1903 1,144,743 Upjohn June 29, 1915 2,896,950 Rosti July 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 353,871 France July 10, 1905 423,593 France Feb. 20, 1911 

1. IN A GAME FOR FOUR PARTICIPATING POSITIONS, THE COMBINATION OF A GAME BOARD HAVING A PLAYING FACE AND FOUR SIDES OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL LENGTH WITH EACH OF THE SIDES PROVIDING ONE OF THE PARTICIPATING POSITIONS, ONLY TWO SETS OF GROOVES IN THE PLAYING FACE WITH ONE SET INTERSECTING THE OTHER SET AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES, THE GROOVES IN THE RESPECTIVE SETS BEING PARALLEL AND EQUIDISTANT FROM EACH OTHER AND EACH SET AT ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS OPENING ON TWO OF THE PARTICIPATING POSITIONS, A PLURALITY OF PLAYING COMPONENTS, EACH WITH A HAND ENGAGEABLE MEMBER HAVING A PROJECTION SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY THEREOF AND OF A SHAPE TO SLIDABLY FIT IN GUIDED RELATION TO THE GROOVES, THE HAND ENGAGEABLE MEMBER OF THE PLAYING COMPONENTS BEING OF A CROSS SECTIONAL SIZE WHICH IS ONLY SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE DISTANCE FROM THE CENTER OF ONE GROOVE TO THE CENTER OF AN ADJACENT GROOVE, THEREBY BEING SUFFICIENTLY SMALL TO PERMIT PASSAGE ALONG RESPECTIVE ADJACENT GROOVES WITHOUT OBSTRUCTION OF ONE WITH THE OTHER AND SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO CENTER SUBSTANTIALLY ON THE INTERSECTIONS WHEN ALIGNED IN CONTACT RELATION TO EACH OTHER BY PUSHING ONE AGAINST THE OTHER IN A SINGLE GROOVE. 